Scotland "will soon have two teams in the British Basketball League after the BBL gave the green light to American entrepreneur Donald Sampley to enter a team based at Meadowbank" in season '14-15, joining Glasgow Rocks in the league, according to the Edinburgh EVENING NEWS. Sampley said, "It’s a done deal. It’s the culmination of three long years of hard work." The "biggest surprise is the name of the new team which is to be called 'East Scotland Warriors.'" Most people assumed that the name "would include either Edinburgh or Meadowbank," but Sampley insists that the new franchise has a much wider area than just the capital and will go right up to include Aberdeen. Sampley: "My first tasks include meeting with clubs from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, organizing my skills academy, developing corporate relations and meeting with BasketballScotland to discuss programs I want to implement" (EVENING NEWS, 7/8). MVP247's Mark Woods reported while the franchise has been granted, there "remains no absolute guarantee that the Warriors will be seen in action." Several applicants in recent years "have been granted places" only to flounder. However, BBL CEO Andy Webb "is confident that the proposals laid down can be delivered by Edinburgh." Webb: "The strong community ethos of the club fits perfectly with our own beliefs and we look forward to seeing their development in this area over the course of the next season" (MVP247, 7/8).

Scottish Premier League Heart of Midlothian joint-administrator Trevor Birch insisted that "there is no reason why the Tynecastle club cannot become a succesful profit-making business," according to Allen Marshall of the Scotland DAILY RECORD. The Jambos -- £25M ($37M) in debt -- "suffered an insolvency event last month after encountering severe cash-flow problems that left them unable to pay players and staff." But with the club pulling in average crowds of around 13,000 for home games, Birch, a former CEO and chairman at the likes of Chelsea, Leeds United and Southampton, "reckons Hearts can be competitive both on and off the pitch."
He said: "It should be a no-brainer to run Hearts properly. It’s such a shame it has come to this when it had the ability to be sustainable with 13,000 people coming through the turnstiles every week." Supporters' group Foundation of Hearts is "in the driving seat to be named preferred bidder" (DAILY RECORD, 7/8).

Financially stricken German football club MSV Duisburg "has received help from Bundesliga clubs Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich," according to Manfred Much of BILD. The trio has reportedly created a "rescue package" for the club. To receive the license for the 3rd League, Duisburg "has to close a liquidity gap and pay a security deposit in the form of a bond to the German Football Federation (DFB)." Schalke has reportedly already transfered €300,000 ($385,000) to Duisburg. In addition, Schalke will play a friendy against Duisburg and give the game's profit to the MSV. Dortmund and Bayern "will reportedly also help out with friendlies and interest-free loans." Former Duisburg President Andreas Rüttgers said, "Yes, we have been in contact with those clubs" (BILD, 7/7). SPIEGEL ONLINE reported the DFB "issued a prospective 3rd League license to Duisburg on Monday" (SPIEGEL ONLINE, 7/8).

Spanish football club Racing Santander has deposited the €400,000 ($514,000) guarantee demanded by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for the club to join the Spanish third division -- second division B, according to the EFE. The payment followed the Spanish Discipline Committee's (CEDD) ratification of the club's relegation on Friday. Racing Santander explained in a letter that "it was given three days to make the payment, a very short period of time considering two of those days were during the weekend." After learning the appeal had been denied, Racing "had been concentrated on getting together the money essential to being able to compete" (EFE, 7/8). The EFE also reported former Racing Santander players Quique Setién, Francisco Liaño, Pedro Munitis, José Ceballos y José Moratón on Monday offered to manage Racing "with maximum dedication." The former players "also demanded in a press conference the immediate resignation of the current Administrative Council, so if there is an increase in capital, the process will be clean and transparent." The former players "are working on a solution that would, in their opinions, be accepted by all Racing supporters, keep the club alive and offer creditors a more optimistic outlook than the club's current situation" (EFE, 7/8).